Press Release  Fatal Oakham Fire Does Not Appear Suspicious

OAKHAM — Local and state investigators are looking at accidental factors in the fire that claimed an Oakham man’s life yesterday, said Oakham Fire Chief Timothy Howe, Oakham Police Chief Frederick J. Gehring, State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine, and the Worcester County District Attorney’s office.

The man has been identified as 55-year-old Ajay Batra.

The Oakham Fire Department, Oakham Police, State Police fire investigators assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office, and State Police Detectives assigned to the Worcester DA’s office jointly determined that the fire began in a second-floor bedroom near the front left corner of the home.

Investigators located a space heater and other potential ignition sources in that area but have not reached a conclusive determination as to the cause. The fire caused massive structural damage, limiting their ability to examine the area of origin closely. Investigators were assisted by the Department of Fire Services’ Special Operations team, which deployed a drone to the interior of the collapsed portions of the home. Preliminarily, they have found no evidence the fire was intentionally set.

“The exact cause of this fire remains under investigation, but we know that heating fires tend to increase in the colder months,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “Home heating equipment is usually the second or third leading cause of fatal fires in Massachusetts.”

“We want to remind everyone to keep combustible materials at least three feet away from any heating appliance on all sides,” said Chief Howe. “That includes fireplaces, space heaters, and your furnace or oil burner. If you use a space heater, always plug it directly into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power strip, and always turn it off when you leave the room or go to sleep.”

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